INSIDE THE NFL: Dan Pompei takes you around the league

For Bills, 3-4 a minor miracle

Injury-plagued team holding up under Jauron's guidance

November 04, 2007|By Dan Pompei

The Bills are 3-4, and will join the Bears as a 3-5 team Sunday if they lose to the Bengals. But their record has a much different feel because they weren't facing high expectations, and they have been hit hard by injuries.

The fact the Bills are one game below .500 is an accomplishment of major proportions, and a testament to how well Dick Jauron has held his team together.

The former Bears coach credits his players.

"They're a terrific group," Jauron says. "Lot of good guys. They never stop working and they don't mind working hard. They like each other and it shows."

Consider, for a moment, that the Bills have gone back and forth at quarterback between inconsistent J.P. Losman, who started the season but lost his job when he was injured, and rookie Trent Edwards. This week, it's Losman because Edwards is injured. Next week, it's probably back to Edwards.

Quarterback instability is nothing new for Jauron. Of his seven years as a head coach in Chicago and Buffalo, he has had an established starting quarterback for two seasons. Last year in Buffalo Losman was the man, and in 2001 Jim Miller was Jauron's clear No. 1 in Chicago.

"Jimmy was a special player in my opinion," Jauron said. "He had leadership, toughness, accuracy and he could throw the deep ball. He just couldn't stay healthy."

Jauron also has had to shepherd the Bills through the emotional trauma of seeing tight end Kevin Everett taken off the field on a stretcher after a serious spine injury that likely will leave him with some form of permanent paralysis. Jauron said the situation was "devastating" to the Bills.

Defensively, the Bills have had personnel losses that looked devastating. They went into the season knowing they would be without cornerback Nate Clements, middle linebacker London Fletcher and outside linebacker Takeo Spikes, top producers and leaders who left in the off-season.

Then, before the season was a month old they found themselves without three linebackers who were starting at the time of their injuries, including second-round pick Paul Posluszny, who is out for the season. They lost starting cornerback Jason Webster for the year. They were forced to use six different starting lineups on defense in their first six games.

They are down to their third free safety -- who actually was playing wide receiver as recently as the off-season. George Wilson now has two interceptions for the Bills and serves as a symbol of what this team has been able to accomplish.

Wilson, who had not played safety since high school, originally refused the position switch last year. But he finally relented when he thought it might be his best way to get on the field.

"He's smart and tough, and he communicates," says Bills defensive coordinator Perry Fewell, who has done an outstanding job of teaching and game-planning.

"He brings some excitement. He studies hard and asks the right questions. He just has to learn to play the game quicker."

Patriot way

In analyzing the success of the Patriots, we all can point to superb coaching, arguably the most talented roster in the NFL and outstanding quarterback play. But there is more to it than that.

Bengals coach Marvin Lewis offers this insightful perspective: "What the Patriots have done is assemble a selfless group of players. They are feeding into it, being the opposite of everyone else. Winning takes care of everything and they know it.

"They have a lot of veterans, and they understand things younger guys don't. It's making them capable of doing special things, things that are out of the norm."

It goes back to character. Having players with character doesn't necessarily mean having a locker room full of Boy Scouts. But it does mean having players who prioritize football and who are willing to sacrifice individual gains for the betterment of the team. The Patriots have that in spades.

With veteran leaders such as Tom Brady, Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel and Rodney Harrison, and a coach in Bill Belichick who sets firm parameters, the message trickles down to every player on the roster.

No busts

The No. 1 reason the Colts are 7-0 as they prepare to play the Patriots on Sunday and have had only one losing season in eight years is they do not miss on their first draft picks.